x17 R1, ongoing unresolved keyboard problem

I have the same problem, I have tried so many things ti try to solve it, but nothing works.

It is unbelievable that we are all paying for a premium product, and we are just getting a poor computer that needs an external mouse and keyboard.

I have been dealing with this problem over 3 months now, and Dell does nothing.

* Go HERE to the generic x17 R1 Drivers & Downloads page
* Click Category
* Click Ascending
* Scroll down and look for =
Alienware Cherry Keyboard Firmware Update Utility
Alienware Per Key Keyboard Firmware Update Utility
* Install the firmware update for your specific build
* When finished, restart the PC and retest

This ongoing issue has been crazy.  I have tried every fix the OP has and I always eventually get it working.  I have been in IT for 27 years at the same MSP.  We are a HP shop and I have been troubleshooting issues for all 27 years and even before that.  I have never seen keyboard issues like this before.  I have spent hours trying to solve this.  Turn off power management for all USB things in device manager. Install the HID update.  Delete the unknown USB device. Sometimes a combination of things work and sometimes just deleting the unknown device works.  And why does the only Dell troubleshooting document I can find only talks about the Cherry keyboard and not the Per Key update?  Why does the Support Assistant not say anything about a keyboard update needed?

I tried and this did not work for me. I noticed that each of these utilities create a file which documents the result of the "execution". In one it printed the number 3 and the other it printed the word "FAIL". What does this mean?

Same problem here; many of the same solutions were attempted to no avail.  In my case, I am able to get the keyboard to work temporarily in two circumstances. Firstly, whenever I restart/turn on the computer. I can also get it working when connecting or disconnecting something from the USB ports. In both circumstances, the keyboard will work as long as I don't stop using it for over a few seconds. I've seen a few posts about people being able to get the keyboard to respond when using the F1 overdrive feature, but this has not been the case for me. I, too, get the fail 3 error when attempting the driver update.

Going forward, contact "Get Help Now" icon on the right to start a live chat session. They need to first verify the warranty status so give them your Service Tag and email address. After troubleshooting, if still in warranty, they will need to setup hardware service. If your purchased warranty has expired, you must use the Dell out of warranty service. 

Same identical issue here, on a X17 R2.
I've been using an external keyboard for months, after attempting exactly all the very same OP's steps.
Pretty disapponted, considering all the money spent for a "premium" laptop.

When is this going to be fixed? This is highly unacceptable, and it's been an issue for me for weeks now. If this is an issue for other people as well, I'm sure Dell is working to fix it. Right? 

I have had the same issue repeated over and over but right now I am writing this review on my x17 R1!  There is nothing wrong with the hardware.  There seems to be a Windows power management issue conflicting with Alienware software.  I just now completely uninstalled Alienware Command Center, all of its appdata, program data and regedit files.  I rebooted then went through the above steps in Device Manager (do this for everything in the keyboard hierarchy that has a Power Management option) and it's working again, for now.  When my laptop was under warranty, I had the keyboard replaced.  Now it's out of warranty and Dell wants me to pay money to send it in again for replacement.  This is such a common issue and Dell refuses to acknowledge this.  My first and last Alienware.  I spent too much money for this to happen over and over again and for Dell to refuse to fix this recurring issue that so many are experiencing.  

Do a web search and you will see many other posts with this same problem.  It's not a hardware issue.  Dell needs to acknowledge this common issue and have a solution that isnt more money out of my pocket if they want to keep my business.

Did you find a fix? None are working for me. I wonder if latest windows update broke it.

I believe I have finally fixed this issue on my x17 R1.  I almost don’t want to post this for fear of “jinxing” but I feel compelled to try to assist other Alien-heads!  When the keyboard not functioning first manifested itself, one of the things I did was to remove AWCC, completely, using this Dell tutorial.

https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000178439/how-to-remove-and-reinstall-the-alienware-command-center

In that instance, I removed the folders, fixed the registry, etc.  I think I got the keyboard working again but only for a few seconds to permit login.  Then it stopped working again.  I reinstalled AWCC (latest version) and that didn’t fix the keyboard.  Yesterday, I removed AWCC again, but did not remove folders or clean up registry.  I rebooted and the keyboard still didn’t work.  I tried reinstalling the per-key firmware, and that did work – and the keyboard immediately started working!  Since then, I have gone through several reboots and a shutdown for the night, and the keyboard still seems to be working.  This confirms to me that this is a software problem, where something with AWCC isn’t playing nice with Windows or some other program.  But apparently the keyboard still needs elements in the AWCC, perhaps in the folders or registry, to work.  It’s a very frustrating problem, but I’m glad it’s solved for me – at least for now!  I should note that when I go into Device Manager now, I don’t get that “unknown USB device” anymore. 

EDIT - Well, I must have jinxed myself, as the keyboard suddenly stopped working as I was using it.  No warning, just stopped.  However, I ran the firmware again, it PASSed, and the keyboard is again working.  Very weird.  

EDIT II - Once again, the keyboard stopped working, for no obvious reason.  I tried the above trick again with AWCC,, but that's not working anymore.  And the "unknown USB device" is back in Device Manager.  Disappointed and upset with this situation and having to use a cheap add-on USB keyboard on a premium laptop.  

Yea same issue. Hadn't booted it up in a while. That's a complete buzzkill. Updates go out and the 5k laptop is unusable. Lovely.

Come on Dell, let's get it sorted :) The amount of $$$$$ in future sales this will cost you....

hey guys, i got it fixed. 

i went to https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us?app=products 

click on category and select mouse and keyboard. There was only 1 download option for my laptop. I download and restart laptop and it got fixed.